History

Practical Guide > About Thailand

It is generally agreed that the Thais originated from Southern China, leaving the area around 800AD moving south via Vietnam. By the 10 century a number of Tai city states had been founded but were under the control of the Khmer Empire

Pre-1238, the Kingdom of Lanna was becoming a powerful and a well established Kingdom in the North. This Kingdom was centralised around the city of Chiang Saen until 1296 when the capital was moved to Chiang Mai following an earthquake in the original capital.

In 1238AD the Kingdom of Sukhothai was founded and was the first truly independent Thai Kingdom. This was the start of the Sukhothai Period which ran from 1238 to 1438.

In 1350 the Kingdom of Ayutthaya was founded and quickly extended its influence, invading Sukhothai around 1378 which resulted in the Kingdom of Sukhothai becoming a puppet Kingdom to Ayutthaya. In 1448 the Kingdoms of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya merged when Prince Ramesuan of Ayutthaya became King of both countries (King of Sukhothai in 1446). By 1500, the Kingdom of Ayutthaya had also conquered a number of other areas including the Kingdoms/city-states of Kamphaeng, Phet and Phitsanuloke. As with Sukhothai before 1448, the conquered states became puppet states under the influence of Ayutthaya.

In 1548 the Kingdom of Taungoo (Burma) invaded Ayutthaya and the Burmese Kingdom took control of Ayutthaya in 1569, however Ayutthaya rebelled soon after and once again became a powerful Kingdom controlling large parts of Thailand. During the 18th century a break-up of the Kingdom started with regions rebelling for independence from the Ayutthaya capital. The Burmese invaded the Kingdom once again with Ayutthaya being defeated in 1767. This saw and end to the Kingdom of Ayutthaya.

In 1768 the new king (Taksin the Great) of what was left of the Siam Kingdom moved the capital to Thonburi for a short period. The Kingdom did not however last long, with King Taksin being executed in 1782 and King Rama 1 gaining power. The Capital moved shortly after the execution to what is now Bangkok.

During the 1790s, the Burmese were finally forced out of both Siam and Lanna Kingdoms. The 1790s also saw the Kingdom of Lanna give Tribute to the Kingdom of Siam.

In 1826 Siam signed its first treaty with a Western Country, the United Kingdom following the UK's victories in Burma. The Modern Thailand became defined following the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 that fixed the Thai-Malayan border and a treaty signed with the France around the same period defined the eastern border with Laos and Cambodia.

In 1932 a coup saw the end of the absolute power of the King and the Introduction of a Government lead by a Prime Minster and a new constitution. Most Governments however were Military with only the occasional democratic Government holding power.

In early Jan 1941 Thailand invaded France Indochina. An Armistice was declared on the 28th Jan and a treaty signed on the 9th May, during which the France conceded to the Thai demands.

Thailand and Japan signed an military alliance on the 21 Dec 1941 following a brief engagement between the two armies, on condition that Japan would assist Thailand in regaining some of the territories she had lost to the French and British. The Royal family and government however secretly supported the resistance movement against the Japanese forces.

After the end of the war, Thailand established good and firm relations with the USA.